Computing spring-scale.



Patented Aug. e, |901.

L. THOMAS. COMPUTING SPRING SCALE.

(Apiucatio med Jan. 17, 1901.)

(Ilo Model.)

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UNITED STATESV PATENT OEEICE.

LUTHER B. THOMAS, OF RINGGOLD, LOUISIANA.

COMPUTING SPRING-SCALE.

SPECIFIATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 680,085, dated August 6, 1901. r

Application led January 17. 1901.

Serial No. 43.609. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LUTHER B. THOM.ASa

'citizen of the United States, residing at Ringgold, in the parish of Bienville and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Computing Spring- Scales; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as' will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in computing spring-scales.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, cheap, and effective device of this character by means of which the weight and cost of 'an article at a determined price per pound may be quickly and conveniently ascertained; and a further object is to make provision for a ready and accurate computation whether the price per pound be denoted .by a whole number alone or a whole number and a fraction.

To these ends the invention consists in certain novel features of censtruction, combination, and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter more fullydescribed and particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front or face view of a spring balance-scale embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical central section of the same.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, in which like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout both views, the numeral 1 represents the easing of the scale, provided with a face-plate 2, having'formed therein a longitudinal slot 3. In this slot travels a finger 4., connected upon the interior of the casing to the usual suspendingbar 5, suspended from the coil-spring 6. The casing is provided, as usual, with a ring 7 at the top, andthe bar 5 with a hook 8 at its lower end for a purpose well understood.

In carrying my invention into practice I make the face-plate 2 wider than ordinarily and attach to the linger 4. a cross-bar 9, carrying numerals representing price-per-'pound indicia and adapted to traverse or move along said face-plate. The cross-bar 9 has also marked thereon the abbreviation Lbs or word Pounds, cooperating with numerals in a vertical column 10, located next to and on one side of the slot 3 and forming a scale to denote the weight in pounds and fractions of a pound of the article being weighed. On the face-plate are also arranged other columns 1l, equal in number to the price-perpound indices on the cross-bar 9 and coperating therewith and with the indices of scale l0 to designate the total cost price of the article being weighed at so much per pound. These columns l1 are subdivided by transverse lines 12, which correspond with the pound-indice lines of the scale l0 and contain two or more sets of numerals representing the cost price of a certain weight of article at so much per pound, one of such sets designating the cost of the article calculated at two or more whole cents per pound and the other set designating the cost of the article calculated at a whole and a fraction of a cent per pound. For instance, the columns 11 between the pound-numerals 2 and 5 on the face-plate 2 contain two sets of numerals, those shown in heavy lines representing one set and those in light lines the other set. These sets of numerals are arranged in their proper places inline with the whole and fractional pound-points on the scale 10, and the heavy black numerals represent the cost of the article calculated at the rat-e of two cents a pound,

while the light black numerals represent the cost of the article at the rate of two and a fraction of a cent per pound-say, two and a half cents. fractional cost-numerals are herein shown, it will of course be understood that others representing the whole-number indicia and other fractional denominations ft, &c., may be employed, and that such sets of numerals may be differentiated from each other and from the whole-cent denominational numbers by printing or enameling them in different colors or otherwise placing them upon the scale, so as to be readily distinguished from each other.

In operation we will suppose that an article has been sold whose price is four cents per pound, and when this article is placed upon the scalesto be weighed the pointer or cross-bar 9 is drawn down until it reaches While only one set of outline IOO the figure 5 on scale-column 10, thus indicating that the article Weighs live pounds, and by glancing at the numeral 4 on said cross-bar 9 the ligure 20 will be seen directly opposite the number 4, thus indicating that the cost of an article Weighing live pounds Whose price is four cents per pound Will amount to twenty cents. If the price of the article is calculated at four and a half cents and its weight is four and a half pounds, the numeral 4 on the cross-bar 9 will be opposite the light-line numeral 2l in the same column ll, thus indicating the cost of the article to bc twenty and one quarter cents or twenty-one cents, all fractions being counted as whole numbers. In this manner any article can be weighed and the cost of the same at once be determined without the trouble of an arithmetical calculation. It will be readily seen that the table ot numerals in the columns l1 is incomplete, the object in so showing same being to avoid confusion, but sutcient is illustrated to clearly disclose the purpose and operativeness of the invention.`

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and useful, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, 1s-

A computing spring balance-scale, compris ing a casinghaving a widened face-plate provided with a slot and projecting laterally at each side beyond the casing, said plate having a pound-scale and vertical columns containing two or more sets ofy differentiable numerals representing the total cost price of au article of a certain weight at a certain price per pound and such prices and a fractional portion thereof, a spring in the upper portion of the casing, a bar suspended from said spring and carrying finger projecting through the slot in the face plate, and a crossbar attached to and extending transversely across the face plate, said bar carrying cooperating priccperpo und numerals, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses;

LUTHER B. THOMAS.

Witnesses:

J. P. THURMOND, L. C. THOMAS. 

